The Magnolia Café

Chapter 48

Our holidays are over and it's time to reopen the Magnolia. Carla and I are left alone for the day. Connor and Rita are having lunch with their dad and Maia as some schoolwork to do before classes start, but it hasn't been as busy as usual. It's a quiet day. I guess everyone is still recovering from the holiday season.

"How was lunch?" I ask Rita as they walk in.

"Great. My dad is moving back here." She's smiling from ear to ear.

"Those are great news. I'm so happy for you."

I wait for Connor to greet me, but he doesn't. He walks straight into the staff room and closes the door behind him.

"Is everything okay with him?"

"I... It's none of my business, Isabella. I'm sorry. But he's fine. Don't worry about it."

"You are saying everything is fine, but you don't sound like everything is fine."

"Trust me. Is nothing to worry about. He's just thinking about something. He'll tell you sooner or later."

"Are you sure?"

"You know him. He's just overthinking."

"Yeah, he overthinks everything, a lot more than I do, which I thought was a difficult task to accomplish, and yet somehow he manages to surpass me every single time."

"Overthinking is not a good thing for a contest. You should both work on it."

"I make no promises, but I'll try."

A couple of clients walk in, and Rita and I get to work. I didn't see Connor all day. He was locked up in the staff room, and when he left, he just waved goodbye and pointed to his phone. He was on a call. I waved back at him and sadly smiled.

I get home, and Nicholas is in front of the fireplace, working on his laptop.

"You really need to get a place for yourself." I sit beside him.

"It's one of my new year's resolutions. I'll work on it." I sit and rest my head on his shoulder. "You are frowning. Trouble in paradise?"

"I'm not sure."

Nicholas closes his laptop and places his arm around my shoulders. "What happened?"

"I don't know. That's the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"I thought everything was fine. Connor and Rita had lunch with their dad and after they came back. Connor locked himself in the staff room and didn't say a word to anyone."

"Weird. Did Rita say anything about it?"

"She said he was overthinking something and that I should not worry about it."

"Then you should listen to her."

"I can't."

Nicholas chuckles. "That's why you shouldn't put two overthinkers together."

"Shut up."

"Don't worry about it, Izzy. Maybe it's just some family drama and has nothing to do with you. You know what our family is like, and we clearly don't want to drag anyone else into that mess."

"His family is not like that. Every family is slightly chaotic, I guess, but not all are as bad as ours."

"Let's take your mind off it."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Popcorn and a marathon of Underworld?"

"Perfect."

"Why do you like Underworld so much?"

"It's my guilty pleasure. Vampires, Lycans and Selene. Do I need to say more?"

"Selene is a vampire."

"No. She's Kate Beckinsale."

"I wonder... does the bi gene run in your veins as well? Is there still salvation from straightness for you?"

I roll my eyes. "Fuck you. Everyone has celebrity crushes. And straightness is not an infectious disease."

"It should be considered as such. The world would be a better place."

"Well... I don't have a counterargument. You might actually be right on that one."

"I know I'm right." He cackles. "I'll get the popcorn."